He'd play everything from Fleetwood Mac to Led Zeppelin. Obviously at an early age I never actively went in search for music, it was just there. I loved the warmth of the sound of these vinyls. I'd rummage through all the covers and put them on and see what I liked best. Led Zeppelin LP's got put on a lot: I, II, III, and IV. The music was so different from song to song, album to album, but it always had some sort of "power" over me. Hendrix was the same way. The guitar playing was so all over the place, but his voice remained so suave and collected, and the drum fills came every four bars.
Still I never payed much attention. My neighbourhood friends listened to Iron Maiden from an old silver boom-box on the front step of my home after many hours of playing street hockey. I was just getting into skateboarding at the time too. I had this old Dominion board with the neon finger rails on the bottom of the board. It was just something playing in the background while I rode up and down the street and with all my might learning how to ollie.
Thinking about this made me look at some albums that "changed my life" or resonate through my ears for a lifetime.
Life changing albums:
Led Zeppelin 1 through 4
John Bonham IS drums. There is something about his style that is so powerful, loud and in your face. The rock shuffles, wu-da-la wu-da-la 's, and his bass drum sound is gorgeous. At one point it is said that he was blacklisted from all venues in Birmingham because of his aggressive playing. He had soul. Drums were a part of him. I think there are a lot of musicians these days that forget the spirit of creation that is within us.
Cream - Wheels of Fire
I adore Ginger Bakers drumming, but he had brick hands. You can hear on the records how tight his shoulders and wrists are. He had a way of creating these really cool drum fills while still riding heavy on a cymbal, but when he just rolled around the drums you can imagine this giant question mark over his head and the whole band asking " Oh Shit! He's doing it again, hold on boys we could be in for a rough landing on beat 1!" When he actually lands Bruce gives a smile of approval and relief; when he's off you can hear this slight pause and the communal head nod that brings them back. Now that is a band.
The tune "As You Are" hit a strong cord with me. The live version of Crossroads on the B-side is magical.
Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
This album was so creative, but simply opened me up to listening to The Wall, which is life changing for most people. The vibe of Pink Floyd gave me shivers when I listened to it. Roger Waters voice and Gilmore's smooth guitar playing was a match for all ages.
B.B. King - Live In Chicago 1967
It's B.B. man! As I got older I'd close my eyes and picture being at The Regal listening to B.B.'s stories that he always told with a smile.
Green Day - Dookie
This trio of pop-punk rockers made a record that seemed to tell stories that hit close to home. Small town angst told in such a way that was still fun, yet melodramatic and there is a "live" feel to the album. The aura of that they are always giving 110% and then some, even in the studio. It's raw, it's bold, the lyrics are conversational and still very poetic about girls, pot, masturbation, and just hating some douche you met.
There is a drum fill in the song "Coming Clean" just after the first chorus that I coin as the reason I play drums. It's not special, but it's so exposed, it's just on the snare drum but it feels as it drives and digs into the next verse. That drive, that dig, that leadership roll for that second or two is why I play drums.
"17 and coming clean for the first time."
This was my very first piece of purchased music on cassette.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - What Hits
I bought this the same time as Dookie. The awkwardness of the drug induced improvised lyrics and jam style band with Chad Smith and Jack Irons on drums was so mind blowing for me. Irons was a great drummer but too sloppy. Smith is white-man funk. He's super tight, his snare drum is so heavy and solid you want to bounce with his movements. Also, he looks like Will Farrell. Dude, his drumming is so tasty. When listening you can picture the smile on his face.
John Abercrombie - Cat n' Mouse
My first year of music school at MUN my prof, Rob Power gave me a loan of this album. I had the album for a week and I swear I played it on repeat for a week straight. I studied this album, but every time I listened I heard something different. To me this album shows rolls of musicians in bands. It shows how to follow movements whether in rhythm, melody, body motions, cues, etc. It shows the importance of your ears in a band. There are times you wonder who is leading, what is going on, how are they going to… and it just kicks back into the main riff.
The Blood Brothers - Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck
I love post-rock, hardcore, whatever. This EP had so much balls for two flamboyant voices screaming over fairly basic guitars, and raw, wild, heavy, yet calculated drum parts, and very interesting lyrics. My ears just open up to this music, this creativity, this intensity that you can't force. These screams were real.
Also, I really think it was Burn Piano Island Burn… that was the album that has me stuck with them as a life changing band for me. "Cecelia and The Silhouette Salon" starts with this Casio keyboard riff that just explodes into chaos, but no matter how jagged the sound comes as it's peaking on the sound board you really just want to dance. Just dance. Even the heaviest music can make you want to dance. Rhythm is everywhere and it can strike us all if we want to open our ears.
Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz To Come
This is creation at it's best. The avant garde movement in jazz owns my soul. Improvisation is key to life and everyones every day. Billy Higgins could play percussive melodies with ping-pong balls.
Refused - The Shape of Punk To Come
This is the heaviest band I've ever heard. They did shape punk and what came after. But, no band seemed to ever do what they did. The Swedish rock bands really know about guitar tone. They were also a wild live band, political, sung in English for the most part, and had true disfunction within the band. It never seemed to ruin the quality of the music. The importance of being a band, and that moment on stage where you put differences behind you and just get it out through your instruments. Music can mend wounds.
Sigur Ros - ()
This is sonic atmosphere. I saw them live at Massy Hall and it was the loudest concert I've ever attended. It was super-natural the way they just walked out started playing and even if you wanted to you couldn't stand up. The music was so loud and encompassing it felt like it was grabbing you by the shoulders and forcing you back in the chair. I've never left a show completely speechless like that.
They did an encore that show where they just played a few acoustic songs, and within the first song someone botched a note and "shit!" … They are human! It was such an honest show.
Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute
Passion in every word, every note, every song, every thing. Again, no matter how "loud" it seems you can't help but sway to the underlying clypso rhythms.
These are just a few albums that shaped how I view music, the world, and made me want to start a career in music. There is so much more that influences me, there are so many more albums, but I'd be here for days upon days picking them out. I'm sure I could add to this list later, however these were the first that came to mind.
Aside from drums, I don't know if I could ever love an instrument as much as I love the marimba. During school I'd practice until it hurt. It wasn't always the music given to me, just "noodling" around, or creating sounds that always sounded so beautiful. That alone was a life changing experience. When there was a marimba in my life I honestly didn't care to touch a drum-set. In fact, the majority of my music degree I never touched a drum set unless it were in the jazz ensemble or after hours at a bar.
I spent a lot of time playing drums in bars, even when I was underage. I don't know how I resisted having a drink for so long. My first drink was supposed to be a beer, but it wasn't.
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